Compressor-valve lifter



April 14, 1931. s. BAKER 1,800,242

COMPRES S OR VALVE LIFTER Filed Sept. 14, 1929 If rg- 0 OP 57$ ATTORNEYPatented Apr. 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES S. BAKER, OFCORNING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB T INGEBSOLL-BAND COM- PANY, OF JERSEY CITY,NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY COMPRESSOR-VALVE LIFTERApplication filed September 14, 1929. Serial No. 392,719.

the mechanism positive in action, to eliminate the chances of leakage ofthe actuating pressure fluid from the valve lifter, and 'to secure anefficient and rugged structure fully capable of rendering service forprolonged periods of time without requiring frequent ins ections orrepairs thereto.

ther objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The figure in the accompanying drawing is a sectional elevation of avalve lifter constructed in accordance with the practice of theinvention and showing the valve lifter in its assembled position in acompressor.

Referring more particularly to the draw: ing, A represents a portion ofa compressor having outer and inner walls B and C spaced with respect toeach other to form therebetween a passage or chamber D through whichatmos heric air may enter the compressor.

In t e walls B and G are coaxial o enings E and F respectivel Theopening is intended to accomm ate a plate valve assembly, designatedgenerally by G and comprising a valve seat H and a stop plate J spacedtherefrom. Between the stop plate J and the valve seat H is a valveplate K for controlling orts L in the valve seat H. The stop plate maybe provided with the usual sockets O for t e reception of s ings P whichact against the valve plate lK for returning the valve plate K to itsseat and :for holding it thereon during the compression stroke.

The stop plate and the valve plate may be clamped together in anysuitable manner, as for instance, by a bolt Q extending through the stopplate and the valve seat and having a nut R t readed thereon to clampthese elements together.

In order to hold the valve assembly G securely in position in theopening F, a valve cage S is disposed in the opening E to seat againstthe valve seat H and has a flange T provided with suitable apertures Uto accommodate bolts V which may be threaded into the wall B to draw thevalve cage S firml against the valve seat H. The skirt W of the valvecage may be of the well known type havingthe usual ports X therein toprovide passages for the atmospheric air to the valve.

Disposed within the skirt W is a spider Y having the usual fingers Zwhich extend through the ports L and are adapted to bear against thevalve plate K for unseating the said plate. The fingers Z may be of.such length that when the spider is in its retracted position, saidfingers will be out of contact from the valve plate K. The means wherebythe fingers are held in this position consists of a sprin b acting withone end against the spider and with its other end against the valve seatH.

In accordance with the present invention means are provided foractuating the fingers Z against the valve plate K for unseating saidvalve plate and thus unloading the compressor whenever the pressure in astorage receiver (not shown) to which the compressor may be connectedreaches a certain predetermined value. To this end the valve cage S isprovided with a cavity a forming a pressure chamber which maycommunicate with a source of pressure fluid supply, as for instance, thehereinbefore mentioned storage receiver,

through a passage 11 in the valve case S and a connection e threaded inthe outer end of the passage d.

Preferably the passage d opens into the pressure chamber 0 at a pointadjacent the entrance of the pressure chamber so that any moistureentrained by the pressure fluid and which may be precipitated to thelowermost point of the pressure chamber will again be blown from thepressure chamber by the exhaust pressure fluid. The point ofcommunication between the passage d and the pressure chamber 0 may,however, be varied with the position of the valve cage, so that,irrespective of the position in which the said valve cage may be placed,the passage d will open yet into the lowermost point of the pressurechamber 0. At the openend of the-pressure chamber a isa guide fcomprising a flange g and an ex and extends with its other or free endto a point above the extension h. On this end of the rod 0 is disposed ahead 9 having a bore 19 therein to receive slidably the endof the rod 0.The outermost end 1" of the head 17 constitutes a pressure surfaceagainst which pressure fluid in the pressure chamber 0 may act forpiressing the fingers Z against the valve plate In order to effectivelyavoid communication between the pressure chamber 0 and the bore j acollapsible diaphragm or sylphon s is interposed between the head 1) andthe flange g of the guide f. The one end of the sylphon 8 may besuitably connected to the head p and to the other end of the sylphon 8may be secured a plate t. Preferably the v outer portion of the plate 27is disposed between the flange g and the valve cage S, and between thisoutermost portion of the plate and the valve cage may be interposed agasket 10 to form a fluid tight joint betweenthe plate t and the valvecage.

In order to assure a pressure within the sylphon s, of the same value asthat existing in the passage D, the. flange g is provided with a port 4;and the plate at is provided with a bore no through which the extensionh extends, and

said bore w is of such proportions as to permit of free communicationbetween the interior of the sylphon s and the passage D.

During the normal operation of the compressor to which the invention maybe applied and during the time the pressure fluid in the storagereceiver is below the maximum predetermined value which it is desired tomaintain therein, the fingers Z will be held in the retracted positionagainst the flange g by the ipring b and thus free from the valve plateThe valve plate K will then be free to reciprocate in accordance withthe movement of the compressor piston to admit atmospheric air into thecompressing element and to form a-c1osure for the ports L during thecompression stroke of such element.

The parts comprising the valve lifter and the elements directlyassociated and adapted to move therewith will then remain stationaryuntil the-pressure in the storage receiver reaches its maximum value.When As long as the pressure in the pressure chamber 0 exceeds thatwhich the spring 6 may exert, the valve plate K will be held in the openposition. However, upon the reduction of the pressure in the storagereceiver the spring Z2 will act to again move the fingers Z out ofcontact from the valve plate K, and the said valve plate may then againperform its intended function. The pressure fluid utilized fordepressing the fingers Z may then be exhausted from the pressure chamberin a'well known manner and during its exit from the pressure chamberwill remove any such moisture as may have previously been conveyedthereby into the pressure chamber.

The present invention has been found to be an unusually eflicient devicefor its intended purpose and possesses the desirable features ofsimplicity of construction and freedom from developments of defectsusually occurring in devices of this type after some usage- I claim 1.Means for actuating a valve lifter for compressors of the type havingadapted to bear against the valve, comprising a valve cage having apressure chamber, a

guide secured to the cage and having a bore, a rod secured tothe fingersand extending slidably through the bore, a plate clamped between theguide and thevalve cage, 8. head on the rod and ada ted to be exposed topressure fluid for pressln the fingers against the valve to unseat saidvalve, means interposed between the head and the plate forming anenclosure for the bore to prevent communication between the pressurechamber and the bore, and vent means in the plate and guide to permitconstant communication between the enclosure and that portion of thevalve cage lying exterior of the pressure chamber.

2. Means for actuating a valve lifter for compressors of the ty e havingfingers adapted to bear against t evalve, comprising a valve cage havinga pressure chamber," a guidehaving a flange secured on the valve cage, abore in the guide, a rod secured tothe fingers and extending slidablythrough the bore, a head on the rod and subjected to pres sure fluid inthe chamber for pressing the fingers against the valve to unseat saidvalve,

- a flange on the other end of the diaphragm clamped between the flangeon the guide and the valve cage to prevent communication between thepressure chamber and the bore, and vent means in said flanges to providefree communication between the enclosure and the atmos here.

3. eans for actuating a valve lifter for compressors of the type havingfingers adapted to bear against the valve, comprising a valve cagehaving a pressure chamber, a guide having a flange secured to the valvecage and overlying the end of the pressure chamber, a bore in the guide,a rod connected to the fingers and extending slidably through the bore,a head on the rod seated loosely on the rod,"a plate clamped between thevalve cage and the flange, a collapsible diaphragm connected to the headand to the plate forming an enclosure for the bore to preventcommunication between the pressure chamber and the bore, vent means inthe plate and guide to permit constant communication between theenclosure and that "portiontion of the valve cage lying exterior of thepressure chamber, and a passage in the valve cage for'admitting pressurefluid into the pressure chamber at a point plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

CHARLES S. BAKER.

against the

